Today we went out on a survey boat to check the Wareham Channel, Brownsea Lagoon, Frome Valley and open areas of the harbour. Despite the cold wind it was extremely productive with 57 species logged with highlights including the ringtail Hen Harrier, 1 adult female Marsh Harrier, 209 Avocet, 46 Spoonbill, 134 Brent Geese, 1 Red-breasted Merganser, 21 Greenshank, 650 Oystercatcher, 280 Cormorant, 7 Little Grebe, 12 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Grey Plover, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit and smaller totals of expected over-wintering species such as Wigeon, Teal, Redshank, Dunlin, Curlew etc. Great White Egrets were seen at Shipstal, Arne and over Studland heath leaving the Little Sea roost. A Red Kite drifted low over Lytchett Fields. At Lytchett Bay 20 Fieldfare flew over at dawn and in the bay were 34 Avocet and the first Brent Goose of the winter for Lytchett Bay. The ringtail Hen Harrier made several other appearances too and was seen in Middlebere, just below the Coombe Heath viewpoint and also out on Hartland. At dawn a Short-eared Owl, 1 Merlin and 4 Marsh Harrier were in Poole Harbour west near the mouth of the Frome. Also in Middlebere were 100+ Fieldfare, a Peregrine, c500 Black-tailed Godwit, c500 Avocet and 100 Lapwing.